Looking through the activation lens :Exploring urban renewal in Lenasia through an activism centre

Abstract

South Africa’s history of trauma has created traumatic spaces. As we search for a post-apartheid identity, South Africa finds itself in a healing place. This research project looks at addressing traumas of the past while understanding the healing of the present. Lenasia has undergone traumas of segregation and forced removals of diasporic groups. What is trauma? How does it affect people and places? Life comes with a lot of challenges, some greater than others. Exposure to events beyond our everyday human experience can create trauma within us. It is beyond human experience to have one’s home bulldozed and torn down by an oppressive government. Being segregated is not an ordinary human experience. Being dislocated from a community, jobs, and so much more are all traits that cause trauma. All of these factors have deeply affected communities in South Africa, especially those that are marginalised. Poverty, inequality, healthcare, unemployment, racism, and childcare create layers of extraordinary experiences resulting in trauma. The increase in unemployment and decay of government-provided amenities continue to affect us today. My thesis addresses these traumas through understanding the history of Lenasia and activism around the apartheid system. It also addresses urban decay using urban theory, phenomenology, placemaking, identity, and activism theories of change. The research will lead to an architectural intervention that addresses trauma and provides a platform for people to voice their stories. The intervention will take the form of a Youth Activist Centre that enriches the community by mobilising youth to participate in the community while allowing for a space of leisure